Color Me Emotional
by Kitty Amani
Summary: Tylina has been like Gaara's guardian forever, so of course she has sworn to protect him as the Kazekage. But sometimes, the job can get pretty boring. KibaXOC (Chapters 1-8 Updated!)
1. Chapter One: Crimson

Color Me Emotional *Chapter 1* Crimson

*((Revised!))*

By: Kitty Amani

Tylina set on the window pane, staring down at the crowded streets of Sunagakure. The sun was shining down hot and heavy on the sand adobes as it always did, making it difficult for one to breath properly, unless they had been born and raised in such an environment. This young girl had adapted to the humidity so well, in fact, that she was comfortable in her black attire, consisting of a t-shirt and cargo pants. Her raven colored, green streaked hair was pulled back into a high ponytail that cascaded down in layers and ended just above her elbows, and her emerald green eyes captured the sun's rays, reflecting brightly in spite of her solemn mood. She watched the residents of the village moved from shop to shop, attempting to finish their daily chores before the sun began to descend. The routine was the same today as every day, just as boring, just as annoying. An irritated sigh escaped her lips as she swung her legs back inside the building and slid off the ledge. She landed next to Kankuro, who had been leaning against the wall next to her, also watching the redundant scene below.

"Yo, Gaara," Tylina glided a few feet forward so that she stood next to the red head. She watched as his eyes moved back and forth as he scanned the mission report from one of the shinobi in the village.

"Hrm?" Was the response he gave, not looking up, or giving her any other sort of acknowledgement. Tylina frowned and narrowed her eyes into a glare before impulsively reaching forward and snatching the papers from his hands. The Kazekage emitted an annoyed grunt before turning his chair to face his childhood friend. Her glare stayed in tacked as she slammed the papers on the desk and leaned forward, putting her face only inches from his.

"This is boring," She stated bluntly, poking him hard in the chest.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Gaara sort of grumbled, obviously agitated as well, maybe even more so. Tylina sighed and straightened herself up, bowing her head slightly in respect.

"I'm sorry, Gaara," She apologized sincerely, brushing her bangs from her eyes so that she could gaze into his. "It's just that we've been in here all day and you've done a lot, without as much as a break." She reached forward and ruffled his hair, something she always did when she babied him, acting as if she were his older sister. He growled loudly in protest.

"I hate it when you do that," He reached up and smacked her hand away, bringing a small smile to her face and causing her to giggle in an amused sort of manner. She suddenly recalled why she was sitting in that room, by his side for hours on end. It was because she loved Gaara, and wanted to protect the sand's new leader from any threat that was posed, as she always had wanted to protect him when he was little. Memories flowed through her mind, but the one that stood out at this moment was when Gaara's own father had attempted to use his son's amazing power to conquer the village hidden among the leaves. He took Gaara out of Suna to participate in the chunin exams without her knowledge. By the time she found out what exactly was going on, the siblings had already failed the mission and were returning home. Needless to say, Tylina turned her back on the monarchy after that, that is, until the person she trusted most in the world became the king; then she was quick to fall to her knees in respect and bare the sand symbol with honor.

It seemed that since that incident, however, that things had started to go uphill for the former sociopath. Gaara slowly began to change when he returned, which confused and frightened Tylina until Kankuro explained their encounter with a young boy by the name of Naruto Uzumaki. She herself had never been to Konohagakure or met this genin, who she hears constantly about. One day, however, she hoped to venture there, and give this Naruto kid a huge thanks from her, for helping Gaara see what all he could do, and what all he could be. At this point, she had never been so proud of Gaara. He was being more open, more trusting, and it was definitely altering his life for the better. Tylina's thoughts swirled, allowing her to remember where she was. She shook her head, bringing herself back to the present.

"I know you do," She shrugged as she set on the edge of his desk, twirling a piece of her hair between her fingers. "Just a habit, I guess. But, anyway, my point was that it isn't healthy for you," She chuckled silently to herself. "Or me to be stuck inside for too long."

"She's right, Gaara," Kankuro stepped up beside the young girl, arms crossed in front of his chest. Tylina glanced at him, eyebrow raised, wondering if he was being sincere or if he was just attempting to get on her good side. He always seemed to be sucking up to Tylina, or at least it seemed that way. He continued without looking at her. "It's almost time for the sun to go down. Why don't we go out and do something?" Garra hesitated, looking from his brother, to his friend, then back again. Kankuro and Tylina shared a smile as Gaara sighed in defeat.

"Let me finish what I'm working on and then we will leave," He waved his hand in a motion to get Tylina up off his desk, which she did obediently. As she was going back to her post at the window, her and Kankuro shared a secret and silent victory high five. She knew he wanted to get out of there, too, for the two of them were almost exactly alike.

"I say we do something wild tonight, like go clubbing or some shit," Kankuro suggested, sitting down next to her, a huge smirk on his face. "Temari is still in Konaha, so we won't have anyone to try and tell us what to do." Tylina glanced over her shoulder at Gaara, who seemed to now be speeding through his reading material in an effort to get out of the office quickly. She smiled and shook her head before glancing back to Kankuro.

"That sounds fun, but I think we should let Gaara decide what we do tonight," She giggled slightly as Kankuro's face fell. She didn't know if it was because he really wanted to get out and let loose, or because he wasn't going to be able to get her drunk.

"Yeah, I guess," He moved his gaze back down to the village, obviously upset. Tylina bit her bottom lip.

"Um, if you want," She knew she was going to regret what she was about to say, but she hated seeing him sad. "You and I could, um, go out tomorrow night...just us." Suddenly a huge smile spread across his face and his eyes locked with hers.

"Really?" He questioned excitedly. Tylina hesitated. She recalled the last time the two of them had gone out together and how he had gotten her so drunk that she not only couldn't remember the events of the night, but she had awoke completely naked in his bed. It was so awkward to be around him that day, although he seemed bright and happy. It's not like he had taken her virginity, but he was just so much like a brother in her eyes that the situation was hard for her. Kankuro's crush on her sometimes made it difficult to hang out like they used to about a year ago.

"Yeah, I mean it," She forced a smile. Kankuro opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the sound of Gaara pushing his chair back as he climbed to his feet.

"I'm ready," Was all he said before heading toward the door.

"Of course, Mr. Kazekage, sir," Tylina jumped to her feet, thankful that she no longer had to have this conversation, and ran to his side. She admired how he walked with such confidence, and how his crimson hair caught the afternoon light that flowed through the window, giving him a sort of glow.

'Crimson is such a beautiful color,' She thought to herself. 'And he's such a beautiful person.'


	2. Chapter Two: Apricot

Color Me Emotional *Chapter 2* Apricot

*((Revised!))*

By: Kitty Amani

When Tylina entered her house, it was around midnight. She was greeted by the familiar sound of raised voices, one male, and one female. She sighed heavily as she kicked her shoes off and ventured into the kitchen, or what at the moment was a war zone. On one side of the table that was placed in the middle of the room, set a sixteen year old blonde. The girl had wavy hair stopping at her waist, and her emerald green eyes flaring with a fire of annoyance. She wore a white sundress that didn't cover much of her thighs, paired with a black pull over, the sleeves of which stopping just above her elbows. Opposite of her set a boy about two years older, his violet eyes reflecting the same emotion hers did as he ran his hand through his shoulder length, icy blue hair. His outfit contrasted hers with tight, black pants and a crimson colored t-shirt that fit loosely on his thin, yet slightly muscular body. Both glanced up at their friend as she made her way to the refrigerator, snatching out a bottle of water.

"Hey, Tylina," The young girl greeted her in a soft voice, bowing her head in a respectful manner.

"Sunshine," She nodded in her direction before taking her usually seat, both physically and metaphorically between the two of them. Her eyes flicked in the young man's direction, locking with his for a brief second. "Yukio."

"Where have you been?" He snapped unintentionally. His face turned a light pink from embarrassment and he forced himself to look down at his bare feet. Tylina ignored his tone, knowing that he hadn't meant to use it, as she opened her water and took a drink.

"I went out to eat with Gaara and Kankuro tonight," She informed her two companions as she screwed the lid back on the bottle. "After sitting all day in Gaara's office, I figured I'd let the Kazekage and his brother treat me to some dinner." She said the last part with a small smirk on her face, showing that she was attempting to lighten the mood. However, neither Sunshine, nor Yukio, even cracked a smile.

"Sounds nice," Sunshine nodded politely, but there was a hint of jealousy in her voice. "Kankuro kept his hands to himself, I presume?" Tylina rolled her eyes at the question.

"Why must you always do that?" Yukio glared, pointing a finger at her. Sunshine let out an angry growl, rising to her feet so fast and unexpectedly that it nearly caused the other two to jump.

"What did I do wrong now, Yuki, huh?" Her voice wavered as if she was about to cry and her eyes grew misty. For a second, Tylina wanted to pull her friend into a tight hug, but she had to stay out of it. Comforting one party and not the other would be a terrible idea.

"Maybe you should stop being such a whore," He quickly rose to his feet as well. They both leaned over the table toward each other, a sort of static electricity developing between them, eyes flaring. "You bring a new little slut in here almost every night, and not only that, but then you have the nerve to make passes at Tylina, and even claim to love her!" Sunshine's fist slammed against the table and she hung her head, gasping as if she was about to just start bawling. Then, without another word, she turned on her heel and glided from the kitchen, hands over her face. Tylina set there, staring up at Yukio. He gazed after Sunshine in silence before sighing loudly and collapsing back onto the red stool.

"Harsh, don't you think?" Tylina raised an eyebrow at him, but he just shook his head.

"I came home to a red head making herself perfectly at home, going through our shit and eating our food," He scratched the back of his head, glancing over at Tylina. "I just snapped."

"I understand that," Tylina sighed before chewing on her bottom lip nervously.

"So how was your dinner?" Yukio asked, changing the subject. He seemed interested, but it also seemed as if his mind was elsewhere. Tylina figured he was replaying the scene of what had just gone down in his head.

"I enjoyed it a lot," She smiled, setting her elbow on the table and resting her chin in her hand. "Gaara is so much more bearable out in the world, away from work. He smiled a lot tonight."

"Good, good," Yukio nodded as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Gaara needs to be getting out and doing more, and definitely needs to start being more social, as the leader of the village and all."

"Do you or Sunshine have guard duty tomorrow?" Tylina asked, attempting to remember the schedule. Each day was divided up between the three of them, Kankuro, and Temari when she was around; to stand guard over Gaara, and make sure he was kept out of harm's way. Though he had become more popular as the sand's leader, due to Shukaku, there were still many who feared and hated him, so from sun up to sun down, two of them were assigned to watch over him, and then of course Kankuro and Temari would keep watch at their house overnight.

"Sunshine and Kankuro," Yukio replied, his face suddenly taking on a different expression, one of guilt. She knew he had been thinking, processing the words that had come out of his mouth not even five minutes ago, and now he was beginning to feel bad for the way he had spoken to Sunshine. Tylina watched him in silence for a while before reaching forward and squeezing his arm.

"Go apologize," Tylina encouraged with a smile. "And I'll be sure to have a conversation with her later about how her lifestyle hurts not only us, but herself as well." Yukio glanced over at her as a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"How many times have you given her that lecture now?" He couldn't help but chuckle.

"More times than I can count," Tylina shook her head. "I don't understand the pleasure of going out and sleeping with whoever you can."

"I think she's trying to find the perfect girl, you know, since you aren't interested," He gave her a wink, before standing up and stretching is arms above his head as if he were exhausted.

"Ugh," Tylina groaned, picking her water bottle up off the table and unscrewing the lid again. "What's so special about me? I have Kankuro on my ass, too."

"Your worth more than you think," He complimented before walking up behind her and placing his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Why else would I have given you my virginity?" Tylina snorted, smirking up at him.

"And i guess you must be somewhat of something since I gave you mine." She said teasingly before taking a small sip and screwing the lid back on.

"Good thing, too, because if it had been Kankuro, you wouldn't have heard the end of it," Yukio shook his head as he started out of the kitchen, holding his hand up in a 'goodbye' gesture.

"I guess that's what best friends are for," Tylina giggled. "They help get all of the scary things out of the way." Yukio laughed loudly, glancing over his should one last time.

"Goodnight, Ty," He said as he disappeared around the corner, most likely heading for Sunshine's room so that things could be resolved, at least for that night.

"Goodnight, Yuki," Her voice came out as just a whisper. She then sighed loudly as she began twirling a piece of her hair between her fingers. She thought about tomorrow night, and how she was supposed to go out with Kankuro. Maybe, just maybe, Yukio could help her think of a way to get out of it. Especially, since Temari was still away, Yukio was definitely not going to want to go over and watch Gaara for half the night. Reaching up and letting her hair loose from its tie, she began to wonder what exactly she did want in a guy. Did she even have a type? She sighed again before grabbing her bottle of water and standing up to head toward her room.

"Goodnight, Sunny," Yukio's voice came from the hall, sounding more joyful then before.

"Goodnight, Yuki," She called back before the sound of a door sliding shut and Yukio's retreating footsteps down the hall. Tylina smiled to herself, thinking of how lucky she was to have the two of them and the siblings as her friends, for they would always take good care of her no matter what. She glanced around the kitchen of the house she shared with the two fighting teens. The apricot colored walls seemed so dull and boring. If she asked Gaara, he might let her paint them a happier, brighter color, which could possibly bring up the moods of her roommates. And since Gaara was the owner of the complex, she would definitely let him help pick out the color.

'Apricot is so traditional, so overused, only reminding us of how we all live the exact same way, every day, with no new thrills or chills,' She thoughts to herself before flipping her dark hair over her shoulders and heading off to bed.


	3. Chapter Three: Lilac

Color Me Emotional *Chapter 3* Lilac

*((Revised!))*

By: Kitty Amani

Suddenly through the darkness came a bright light, which made a young, dark haired kunochi moan loudly in protest and yank her soft, black comforter over her face. The one in the room, who caused her discomfort by pulling back the curtains of her window, chuckled to himself as if he thought his plan had been clever. Hearing his noise of pride, she emitted a low growl, as if warning him to go away. Only a few seconds passed before she felt the bed cave in from his weight as he set at her side.

"Miss Tylina," Yukio cooed, gently pulling the cover from her upper half. She squinted as the light hit her eyes once again, then she began to squirm and whimper slightly. The young boy laughed, holding the blanket tight as she grabbed at it in an attempt to cover herself back up. "It's time to get up!"

"Yuki, it's my day off," She whined as she pushed herself up on her elbows. She had one eye halfway open and the other one completely closed, trying to get use to the light. "All I want to do today is sleep." Yukio frowned and shook his head.

"Well, you don't always get what you want," He said in a mock sympathetic voice. Then, his lips slowly curved up into a crooked smile, almost a smirk. "Because, you see, I was hoping to spend the day with my best friend."

"Go bother someone else," Tylina mumbled in an annoyed voice before she, once again, reached to grab ahold of her stolen comforter. Yukio quickly stood and jerked it all the way off of her, revealing her sleep attire that was a white tank top and white underwear with purple and pink polka dots.

"Get Upppppppp," He smirked, tossing the blanket to the floor. Tylina pushed herself into the sitting position, mumbling insults and curses as she attempted to rub the sleep from her eyes. Yukio roared with triumphant laughter. "That's the spirit!"

"Yeah, Fuck You," Tylina slowly climbed to her feet and stretched her arms above her head before leaving an overly happy Yukio in her room while she made her way down the hall to the bathroom. As she trudged through her morning activities as she did every day, bathing, brushing her hair and teeth, make-up, she remained basically thoughtless aside from 'Here we go again' and 'Hasn't this scene played before?' When she had finished everything, she made her way back to her room where she found Yukio lounged out across her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Tylina raised her eyebrow in confusion but she continued over to her closet, searching for an outfit that looked even remotely mood lifting, but found only disappointment.

"Why is this village so boring?" Yukio questioned in a far away voice, as if he was almost completely lost in thought. Tylina threw a glance his way as she pulled off her night clothes and replaced them with a pair of solid purple underwear and a matching bra. He put his hands behind his head, not even noticing that he had a naked girl in the room with him only seconds before. "I mean, you think being guardian shinobi would make our lives more interesting, but Gaara never really goes anywhere, not since we were hired anyway."

"Gaara likes to keep to himself," Tylina shrugged as she pulled on a dark green, fishnet covered skirt over a pair of fishnet stalking. She continued as she pulled a black tank top over her head. "It's not his fault, he just has trust issues."

"But don't all of us," Yukio's eyes narrowed slightly as he pushed himself up so that he could look at his friend. "Isn't that why we were picked for the job, because we all were outcasts?" Tylina stared deep into his eyes, biting at her lip.

"Yes, but none of us know pain like Gaara's," She glided over to the bed and set on the floor in front of the young boy, holding up to him a hairbrush and a hair tie. "I truly and honestly believe that, even after all the death I've seen and the loneliness I've felt." Yukio hesitated, and then nodded slowly before taking the articles handed to him. As he twisted her hair into a long braid, the two set in silence, lost in their own thoughts of their pasts. Tylina saw the faces of her parents, her sister and her sister's fiancé, and the face of her sensei. She knew the thoughts in Yukio's head centered around their dead sensei as well, but also around the deaths he himself had caused. Tylina was cursed and Yukio was a murderer, and that's how they came to know isolation. Poor Sunshine was a social outcast because of a rumor started that she not only had sex for money, but tried to seduce the wives of the families that resided in Suna.

"I'm done," His voice came out just above a whisper, setting the brush down at his side. Tylina gave him a weak smile before pushing herself to her feet. She reached her hand out to help Yukio up, and he gladly took it.

"Hey, now," Tylina forced a chuckle. "Let's go out and have some fun. You can buy me lunch." Yukio snorted.

"Oh, how lovely," He replied sarcastically. "I get to treat Princess Ty to ramen."

"It must be your lucky day," She winked at him as she grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers, pulling him out of her room and toward the front door. They were both giggling uncontrollably like little kids as the raven haired beauty opened the door to the outside world, where they were greeted by an unexpected sight. A young woman with blonde hair stood on the stoop, fist raised as if she was about to knock. She wore a short, pale lilac one-piece with a red sash tied around her middle and a long wooden object on her back that appeared to be a giant fan. Behind her stood a boy a couple years her junior, his dark hair pulled back into a ponytail. He stood in a slouched position, hands shoved deep in his pockets, showing his obviously lazy personality.

"Hey, you two," The girl smirked, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Going somewhere?"

"Temari!" Tylina cried, practically tackling her to the ground. Temari laughed as Tylina planted a friendly kiss on her cheek. "I missed you desperately!"

"Hey, Shikamaru," Yukio took a step forward and held his arm out to the leaf shinobi, who nodded, reaching out and grasping the older man's wrist in a firm handshake.

"Why are you back so early?" Tylina questioned, taking a step back so that Temari could have some breathing room. She cast a glance over at Shikamaru, who shared the same intense look in his eyes as she did. Her gaze then returned to her fellow sand kunoichi.

"We actually wanted to talk to you about that," She said in a serious tone. It was now Tylina and Yukio's turn to share a look, one of extreme confusion.

"But not here," Shikamaru stated the obvious in his usual monotone voice." I've been walking for three days straight. Let's go get something to eat and sit down."

"Definitely," Tylina smiled, hooking both her arms around Temari's right one. "My best friend needs rest."

"Seems like my best friend needs to lay off the caffine," Temari chuckled as Tylina began to lead her down the sandy road. Yukio pulled their front door shut and followed behind the two girls, Shikamaru at his side. Temari began to go on about the ninja of Konoha and what she did while she was gone. Tylina tried her hardest to pay attention, but she kept zoning out, wishing she could have these fun adventures as well. Her thrills came vicariously through the oldest of the siblings and she couldn't help but get a little jealous sometimes.

'Lilac,' She thought, smiling as Temari continued talking. 'The perfect color to describe Temari. Soft and beautiful, bold and independent, smart and in charge, something that every young woman should aspire to be. Lilac is a color that one doesn't see every day, one that you would have to actually look for. Temari, your definitely my best friend and role model, especially that since your back, Kankuro and I no longer have a date tonight.'


	4. Chapter Four: Desert

Color Me Emotional *Chapter 4* Desert

*((Revised))*

By: Kitty Amani

Out of the corner of her eye, Tylina saw Yukio's eyes grow wide and his mouth drop open, revealing a clump of half chewed ramen. She was sure that her facial expression wasn't much more appealing, but how could they not react this way? Temari stared at them hard, waiting for a response and Shikamaru, who didn't understand the situation as their longtime friend did, just raised an eyebrow in confusion. Tylina quickly closed her mouth and swallowed her food with a loud gulp.

"You want us to what now?" Tylina blinked a couple of times, her emerald orbs locked with Temari's teal ones.

"Escort Gaara to Konohagakure," She said again slowly, attempting to help them comprehend. Yukio and Tylina glanced as each other, both thinking the same thing. Neither of them had been out of the village in years, since their sensei died. Now they were asked to accompany the sand's most important person to a place that was a three days walk away? They were, indeed, impressive shinobi, having mastered using three different chakra natures and being trained by some of the most skilled ninja in Suna; but Gaara was valuable, and he was like their little brother. It was too soon for them to trust their abilities in a situation as crucial as this, outside the walls of their home.

"Temari, I-" Yukio started, but she quickly cut him off, holding up her hand as a stop sign. She leaned forward on the table looking from one them to the other.

"It would be you two, Shikamaru, and I," She informed them with intent eyes. "After the world gets used to Gaara being the Kazekage, it won't have to be like this, but for now, we need tight security, and you two are the best ninja we have here." She paused as if considering her words carefully, chewing her lip as she thought. "And we have known you guys forever. You understand what Gaara goes through." Tylina buried her face in her hands. Every day she craved and yearned for something like this to happen, but now that she was given the chance, her thoughts were wavering. And every day she wished for something out of the ordinary to happen to her, to experience something different, to see all the colors of the world as it truly was, but was she worthy enough?

"Why does Lord Kazekage need to go to Konoha anyway?" Yukio broke the silence, obviously avoiding being the one of the two of them to answer. Tylina threw him a look of disgust for he was putting all the pressure on her.

"Lady Hokage wants to meet with him," Shikamaru explained, staring out the restaurant window lazily. "Something about important political shit." He shrugged, showing how much he didn't care.

"But then why can't she come here?" Tylina cocked her head to the side in confusion as she began to stir the blue tinted drink that sat in front of her. Temari smiled lightly, softly, sort of like a look of admiration.

"Lady Hokage thinks it would be best if Gaara could see some of the shinobi there, the ones we met during the chunin exams," She explained in a soft voice. "Of course, Naruto won't be there because he is still of training with the toad sage, but I believe Gaara needs people contact nonetheless." Tylina's lips replicated Temari's smile. This is exactly what Gaara needed. It was so nice of Lady Hokage to think not only about the sand village itself, but the leader individually. All of a sudden, her mind was made up.

"I would be honored to contribute to this mission, Tema." She replied, placing her hand over heart as if swearing on her life that she would make sure everything went as planned. Yukio hesitated, before his features grew hard and his gaze flared, and he nodded. Temari's face immediately lit up as she practically jumped over the table to throw her arms around the two of them in thanks. Tylina also noticed that Shikamaru wore a small smile of satisfaction, but she couldn't help but wonder, was it because they had accepted, or because of Temari's reaction to their acceptance.

"So, who's watching after the village while Gaara is gone?" Yukio asked when Temari had finally seated herself again.

"This is one of the situations in which we have the Elders for," Temari informed them. "But Kankuro and Sunshine will be the ones sitting in Gaara's chair, with Baki-sensei as their advisor." Tylina nodded quickly in agreement, thinking that Temari did well with that arrangement. She knew the situation between Kankuro and Tylina, so she split them apart, and did the same with Yukio and Sunshine due to their constant bickering. When one needed plans set up as perfect as this one, it always helped to have a genius in your midst.

"Sounds like everything has been covered," Yukio voiced, sounding impressed. Tylina couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Of course, Yuki," She expressed, highly annoyed. "This is Tema we are talking about. She plans everything out, and does it very well at that." Tylina's eyes brightened and she smiled cheerfully. "So, when do we leave?"

"In four days," It was Shikamaru who answered, shaking his head. "It's such a drag having to run back and forth from Konoha and Suna all the time, but as Temari's hired bodyguard, it's my duty, I guess." Yukio and Tylina sneaked a glance at each other before giggling lightly.

"Hey, eh, Temari," Yukio smirked, leaning across the table toward her. "It's a little funny how one of the best kunoichi in the village and one of the Kazekage's guards in fact needs a guard for herself." At this statement, Temari's cheeks immediately turned magenta, getting another giggle from her girlfriend.

"I'm sure that Gaara and Kankuro know that you can handle your own, so, who hired Shika?" Tylina pressed on with a knowing smile on her face. At this point, Shikamaru's gaze and turned to Temari as well. Seeing her blush seemed to make his face turn a light pink color as well, and he cleared his throat loudly.

"Troublesome woman," He muttered, looking back out the window again. Temari shot a death glare at the two across the table, completely embarrassed, but that just made them laugh harder.

About an hour had passed before the four of them finished their meal and their conversation about the newly assigned mission. After leaving the restaurant, they parted ways, leaving Tylina and Yukio to now express their thoughts openly.

"Do you think we are strong enough outside of our safety zone?" Tylina's voice was soft as she hugged herself tightly, staring at the ground, watching one foot move in front of the other.

"Definitely," He voiced, not sounding sure of himself at all. "We used to go on missions all the time, remember? Dangerous ones at that."

"Yeah, but," Tylina paused. "That was when we had Masura-sensei with us."

"Pft, Ty, she didn't make us the fighters we are," Yukio shook his head as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ironically, she was like our backup." Tylina knew this to be true, but it hurt her to even think that she was any better at being a ninja than the one who had shaped their perfect team. She chewed her bottom lip.

"In a way, I'm kind of excited," She forced a smile as she glanced at Yukio, who raised his eyebrow in question, hands shoved deep in his pockets. "We are about to go to the place where Gaara found himself. Maybe," She trailed off, going deep into thought. The two remained silent, thinking about what Tylina had been about to say. Konoha was no ordinary place, for it had changed all three of the siblings, and for the better. What were the odds of a miracle occurring for them as well? Tylina slowly came out of her thoughts, gazing at the familiar, almost beige ground that she walked on every day.

'Desert,' She contemplated, biting her lip. 'A place, a color, all the same, something that is bare, with no true way to sustain a life. That's how it is here. Yuki and I, we don't know what life truly is, not yet anyway. Maybe, just maybe, I have my own Naurto Uzumaki waiting for me in the village hidden in the leaves, in the place that is so different from here. Hiding within the sand, it seems, has only caused broken hearts and deep scars. Not just for the two of them, but also Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, and Sunshine. Even Baki and Masura had their share of pain. Well, I'm going to label this as attempt number one for my own recovery and maybe, one day, I can heal just as Gaara is.'


	5. Chapter Five: Violet

Color Me Emotional *Chapter 5* Violet

*((Revised!))*

By: Kitty Amani

Yukio yawned loudly as he and Tylina, who was stretching her arms high above her head, wondered down the long, bare hallway of the Kazekage building to Gaara's office. Neither of them had slept much the night before. This time, however, it wasn't due to the fighting of Yukio and Sunshine. The drama started when Kankuro had turned up at their house, ready to take Tylina out like they had planned. This disappointed the girl greatly, but it was too late to turn him down. She had turned to head to her room to get ready for the evening, but then Temari showed up, eyes flaring and temper raging. She yelled, screamed, and cursed at her brother, waving her arms around in frustration, saying things like 'You have too many responsibilities to go out and party all night' and 'Obviously Tylina doesn't like going out with you anymore since you basically raped her!' Sometimes, Temari reminded Tylina of a banshee with her ridiculously loud and constant shrieking that was emitted when she was angry. She didn't mind though because it seemed that the blonde only wished to protect her friend and keep her brother in line. Of course, the fight had continued at their house and gone well into the morning hours, resulting in maybe two hours of sleep for both Yukio and Tylina.

"If there was an attempt at an assassination today, I think Gaara would be fucked," Yukio forced a playful smile, running his fingers through his hair. "Just saying."

"I think Gaara can take care of himself," Tylina rubbed one of her eyes and stifled a yawn, then she began to pull at the oversize black t-shirt that she wore, attempting to adjust it in a manner that didn't make her look fat. She, however, failed epically. She sighed and pressed her palm to her forehead. "I swear Kankuro is going to be the death of me."

"Don't worry," Yukio placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it lightly. "There will be plenty of others that he will send to accompany you in the afterlife."

"I don't doubt it," She mumbled, raising her fist to knock on Gaara's office door. Yukio's hand shot up and grabbed her wrist tightly to keep from completing the motion, which in turn caused her to open her mouth in protest. His opposite hand flew up and was placed lightly on her soft, pink lips.

"Shh," He commanded, and leaned forward to press his ear to the door. Tylina blinked a few times as he released his hold on her before following his lead.

"Kankuro, why must you insist on causing trouble," Temari was using her banshee voice again. Tylina raised her eyebrow, trying to register how she hadn't heard the woman's cries until now. She shook her head and blamed it on the lack of sleep.

"I just wanted to take her out, okay," Kankuro's words were light, just above a whisper. He sounded embarrassed and ashamed, two things that Tylina rarely heard out of him.

"Before you know it, she's going to come to me and ask to press harassment charges on you," Gaara said in a monotone voice, annoyed by the way both of his siblings were acting. Gaara had never had an actual childhood, but had been forced to fend for himself and grow up at such a young age. It was obvious that when his older brother and sister fought, it confused him as to why they acted so immature.

"She wouldn't do that," Kankuro snapped. "We're best friends!" Tylina listened intently, wondering what was going to be said next. Neither her, nor Yukio, heard the footsteps of the young girl coming down the hall, nor did they feel her presence as she stood behind them, head cocked to the side, confused as to what exactly they were doing.

"Hello?" She voiced, earning a swear from the male and a loud gasp, almost a shriek from the female.

"What the hell, Sunshine!?" Yukio raised his voice, almost mimicking Temari's agitated screams. The blonde flipped her ponytail over her shoulder and stuck her nose in the air.

"Geez, Yukio, I didn't mean to scare you," She huffed before flashing a bright smile at Tylina, who put her hand up in a greeting, laughing nervously. At that moment, the door to Gaara's office flew open revealing a very angry looking Temari. Tylina held her breath. Great, now Temari was angry with her, too. However, her expression softened when she laid eyes on the three of them and she grinned.

"Well, good morning, you three," She cried happily, earning stares from Yukio and Sunshine as they attempted to understand her mood swings. Tylina, who was used to the quick changes in her friend's composure, waltzed into the office as she recovered from Sunshine's scare.

"Morning, Tema," She smiled. She continued forward and up to Gaara's desk, where she bowed her head in a respectful manner. "Good morning, Gaara."

"Wait a second, what the hell are you even doing here?" Yukio's voice sounded loudly through the room, earning him a glare as sharp as a dagger from Tylina, which he chose to ignore.

"For your information, I came to see if Tylina wanted me to take over her shift today, since she's tired and all from the rude ramblings of a certain puppet master," She shot Kankuro an extremely dirty look. The middle sibling was standing next to the window ledge as he always did, back against the wall, staring at the street below with a look of sheer annoyance. He didn't respond to the words or the look he got, earning him a sympathetic whimper from Tylina. The dark haired girl wondered over to his side, reaching up and ruffling his already messy looking hair. Instead of a reaction similar to Gaara's, Kankuro smiled slightly and locked eyes with his crush, who returned the smile.

"Did you hear," Tylina took her spot in the window ledge, ignoring the others in the room and focusing only on her friend's violet painted face. "I get to go to the leaf village!" Kankuro chuckled and nodded his head.

"Of course I heard," His look saddened slightly. "I just wish that I could go with you." Tylina fought inwardly with herself. She was annoyed with Kankuro, yet sad for him. He always made her so confused about her emotions. She felt that he wasn't doing so on purpose, so she continued the conversation with a smile.

"Well, maybe next time," She knew that her excitement was radiating. "At least, I hope there will be a next time!"

"If that's what you would like, then I'm sure Gaara would let you go whenever you wanted." Kankuro informed her as he moved from his spot against the wall to sit beside her in the window.

"Let me tell you a secret, Kitty," She couldn't help but giggle at the frown that her pet name brought to his face. She leaned in close and put her lips only inches from his ear. "I'm scared."

"But, why?" Kankuro stared at her. Tylina shrugged before lowering her voice even more and leaning a little closer.

"Of trying to make new friends," She pulled back and stared into his eyes. It was silent between the two of them, however, Sunshine and Yukio's raised voices echoed off the walls as they fought, Temari interjecting every once in a while in attempt to calm the two teenagers. Hesitantly, Kankuro scooted closer to his friend, placing his hand lightly upon hers. Tylina blushed lightly, but intertwined her fingers with his.

"Heh," Kankuro blushed and shook his head before glancing out the window. "Don't you even worry about that. The leaf ninja are very accepting." Kankuro paused and thought. "Well, at least the ones who are our friends, anyway." Tylina glanced down at the village, too, and watched the citizens start their day off with either their brisk walks to work, or eating breakfast in the little restaurants and cafes.

"He's right," Gaara's voice turned Tylina's gaze to his smiling face. "In fact, while I meet with the Hokage, I'd like you to get to know some of the leaf ninja, just as I did." Tylina's face grew hotter and she felt her eyes began to burn slightly.

"Hey, now, don't cry," Kankuro reached out with his free hand and stroked her cheek gently, not in a flirtatious way like usual, but as a serious and caring sort of gesture. At that moment, the yells disappeared, and Gaara seemed to fade into the background. It was her and Kankuro, nothing else in the world. Just two best friends, the way it used to be before. The sun's early morning rays bounced from his gorgeous face and caused an almost angel-like glow, and when he flashed her a reassuring smile, she all of a sudden felt better.

'Violet,' Her thoughts bounced around the walls of her mind as she examined the markings on his face that were formed by the kabuki paint. 'Every time I see the color, I think of him, one of the only unpredictable things in my life. It's such a beautiful and comforting color, even if it is somewhat intimidating at times. Without Kankuro, I don't know what I'd do. Temari seems to think he's out to get me, but, Gaara seems so calm about it, which makes me think the brothers confide in each other, and the younger one doesn't see him as a threat. Violet, oh, such passion rings from it, and that's why Kankuro tries the way he does. He doesn't want to give up, because he cares about me, something that's just hard for me to accept sometimes.'


	6. Chapter Six: Evergreen

Color Me Emotional *Chapter 6* Evergreen

*((Revised!))*

By: Kitty Amani

"Ugh, come on, you two," Yukio growled loudly in annoyance as he weaved quickly through the crowded streets, attempting to make it to Suna's main entrance in time. Tylina and Sunshine followed him at a much slower pace, the raven haired girl was dressed in a tight black shirt, a black skirt with fishnets covering her legs, and black combat style boots. She had her hands behind her head, staring up at the morning sky. The blonde, sporting a short, hot pink sundress with neon green fishnets on her arms and legs, along with a pair of pink flats, growled at the boy.

"Chill, Sunny," Tylina flashed her a brilliant smile, her emerald eyes sparkling and the similar colored highlights in her hair shining brightly. Sunshine stuck her nose in the air, emitting a "hmph" as she flipped her long ponytail over her shoulder.

"What makes him so special that he gets to be the escort?" She whined. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she glared daggers at the dark clothed man, who was almost completely invisible to them, due to the waves of people. "You and I would make a better team if the Kazekage was attacked, so why did Temari pick him?"

"You know that statement isn't true, and that I work equally well with the both of you," Tylina scolded, which made the brightly dressed teen pout. Tylina ignored her and continued. "There is no way she could have split us up to make everyone happy. She separated Kankuro and I, and you and Yukio, making everyone's job easier." Sunshine held her pursed lips and puppy dog eyes a while longer, but sighed loudly when she realized that they were having no effect on her friend.

"You know it's no big deal to me whether I were to stay in the village or not," Sunshine allowed her arms to drop to her sides in defeat and a sad smile came over her face. "Ever since Masura-sensei was killed, I haven't really been motivated to see the outside world again." Her eyes locked with Tylina's, who's heart wrenched at the sadness they contained. "I just wish it had been arranged to where you and I could have spent more time together, Ty, because I love you."

"Oh, I love you, too, Sunny," Tylina faced forward again and began to push her way through the crowd, not wanting to hear the next sentence that she knew was going to cross the blonde's lips.

"But...not like I love you," Sunshine's voice followed her. It was dreamlike, slightly far away. Tylina sympathized for a second. However, she couldn't help bitting her bottom lip in annoyance, wishing that Sunshine would keep her flirtatious comments to herself. Sometimes, she was just as bad as Kankuro.

The rest of the walk to Suna's main gate was silent. Sunshine's mind seemed to be racing with thoughts of their sensei and possibly her feelings for the girl at her side. Tylina's mind roller coastered. Her thoughts went from the excitement of being out of the village for the first time in a long time, to the anxiety of Gaara being outside the safety of the walls that surrounded the place where he grew up, to the nervousness of meeting new people. Soon the crowd began to fade as they exited the main part of town, and the wall against the horizon grew as they neared the entrance way that stood between them and miles of desert. Six figures came into view as well, one being Yukio, and the five at his side appearing to be Temari, Shikamaru, Gaara, Kankuro, and Baki.

"Hey, Baki-sensei," Sunshine's voice rang through the air as she waved her hand wildly above her head and took off sprinting in his direction. Tylina sighed softly and smiled. She was glad to see the Sunshine was over her 'mood'.

"Hello, Miss Sunshine," Baki bowed his head slightly in greeting as the blonde stopped in front of him. He then moved his gaze behind her, to her companion. Tylina still trudged at a slow pace, earning a knowing smile from the man. "Pacing yourself as always, Tylina?"

"Well you know me, "She let her hands drop from behind her head to her sides and laughed nervously. "Don't want to get too tired before the party's even started." Baki opened his mouth to reply, but before any words came out, Kankuro stepped between the two. Tylina raised her eyebrow as he took both of her hands into his.

"I'm going to miss you, Ty," He smiled sweetly at her. "Just, have fun, okay? Enjoy your time outside of this place. You deserve it." Tylina's expression changed immediately and she smiled back before throwing her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

"Thank you, Kankuro, for everything," She whispered in his ear as he slipped his arms around her. He nuzzled his cheek against her soft hair and inhaled deeply, taking in the smell of her jasmine shampoo as if it was the last time he was going to do so. Tylina blushed at the action. Once again, it was just the two of them, the two best friends that did everything together. After what only seemed like a few seconds, but Tylina was sure was more than that due to Sunshine's growls behind Kankuro, she went to pull away. Before doing so, she let her lips gently graze the puppet master's cheek. He blushed furiously and scratched the back of his head in a nervous manner.

"Well, I, um, I'll be waiting for-" Kankuro started but was cut short by a jealous looking blonde who shoved him from in front of Tylina. Tylina blinked a few times before arms were around her again.

"Oh, Ty, when you get home, I'll have the house cleaned, dinner cooked, and I absolutely promise that I will keep the tramping to a minimum." She tightened her grip on Tylina, who began to have trouble breathing.

"How about you just don't bring any of your hoes over at all, whether we are here or not?" Yukio growled under his breath as he tightened the straps on his backpack. Sunshine ignored him and released her hold on Tylina, smiling brightly at her.

"I miss you already," She muttered before placing a light kiss on her lips. Tylina's face grew hot, and she looked away, causing Sunshine to giggle.

"What the hell was that!?" Suddenly, Kankuro was at their side, face red with anger and hands balled into fists. Sunshine smirked at him before flipping her ponytail over her shoulder and sticking her nose into the air, definitely her signature pose. Yukio appeared almost as instantly at her other side, looking just as infuriated as Kankuro.

"Is there something wrong with your brain?" He yelled, appearing to be holding back the urge to hit her. Sunshine kept her smug look under the glare of daggers that she was receiving from both of the boys. They both began to growl and swear loudly. Tylina blushed once more as she slowly edged away and over to the other four, who shook their heads at the childish fight.

"Do they always act this way?" Shikamaru questioned the group, who all nodded in unison.

"Needless to say, I feel quite loved," Tylina joked, turning her gaze to Gaara, who shared a smile with her.

"I'm glad two of the three of them are staying behind," Shikamaru commented, still observing the fight. Tylina glanced back over in time to see Kankuro lunge at Sunshine, who laughed mockingly as Yukio attempted the hold the face-painted boy back.

"That means I have to put up with them," Baki mumbled, earning a sympathetic look from Tylina. She placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I come home to something similar to this every night," She shook her head, but forced a smile up at him. "Not to worry, though, Baki-sensei," She dropped her hand from his shoulder, attempting to give him reassurance with a wink. "We will get our work done as quickly as possible and get back here to rescue you, not to mention the villagers." He chuckled lightly.

"You guys take all the time you need. I can handle these two." He spoke the words too soon. As soon as they were out of his mouth, out of the corner of her eye, Tylina saw Sunshine's neon green blur in the air. Only a second passed before she heard the sound of a fist connecting with a jaw. She quickly turned to see Kankuro fall to the ground, rubbing his now red cheek. He cried out savagely as he climbed to his feet, ready to return the attack. However, in a flash of crimson, Gaara was in front of him. Both Kankuro and Sunshine now had wide eyes and gaping mouths. Yukio, who had stumbled off to the side after Sunshine's violent action, gulped loudly in fear. Tylina shivered, feeling immediately how tense the air around them had become.

"Stop It!" Gaara demanded in a harsh, cruel voice. His eyes were first on his brother, and then they moved to Yukio, and then to Sunshine. His eyes flared with a fire that radiated his extreme annoyance and agitation with the three ninja who were supposed to be labeled as his body guards. Those standing around the Kazekage watched as the sand around his feet stirred as if it were going to spring up. Tylina took a few steps toward him defensively. She was ready to fight him if necessary, although she was sure he had full control over his demon half now. She knew part of her still clung to who she used to be, the one who sprung to Gaara's side if someone made him cry, or if he lost control. It would always be that way, even now that he was able to care for himself.

"I'm sorry, Gaara," Kankuro's voice came out soft, almost a whisper.

"I don't want to hear it," He snapped, the sand kicking up around him once again. "Kankuro, Sunshine, I'm leaving you in charge of a whole village, and you're going to act like children? Can I even trust you?" He paused, as if waiting for a reply. When one didn't come, he continued on. "Baki will be sending me both reports on village activities along with one on how well you guys work together while I'm gone. If I hear of anything that makes me unhappy, you can bet there will be punishment when I return." His dark eyes then turned and bore deep into Yukio's soul, making him stagger back a few more steps. "And you," He turned his back to all three of them, walking to where he was about a foot in front of Tylina. "You're on your way to a village that is not your own, and this is how you want to represent Suna?" He paused again and still no answer. With that, he moved forward, head hanging low and fists clenched, a small tornado of sand now spinning around his legs. Tylina threw a nasty look at the three stunned and frightened ninja before hurrying after Gaara. He now stood outside of Suna, staring at the vast amounts of sand that made up the desert.

"Are you okay?" Tylina asked gently, reaching forward and grabbing his hand. There was silence as the sand at Gaara's feet died down, but only a few seconds passed before Tylina noticed Gaara's shoulders heaving up and down. At first she thought he was crying, but when she stepped closer to hug him, she noticed the wide grin on his face.

"Do you think they'll behave now that I scared them?" He had a mischievous glint in his eye that at first made Tylina blink in confusion, but then, a smile much like his crossed her face as well.

"Dude, I bet they won't say a word for hours," She threw her arm around Gaara's shoulder and began to lead him away from the village, hoping she was going the right direction. "You scared the shit out of them." Gaara and Tylina walked on their own, Temari, Shikamaru, and Yukio soon falling in step pretty far behind, and silently, Tylina noted.

The walk across the desert was long and tiring. Tylina found herself drinking a lot of water, attempting to wash down the copious amount of sand that she was breathing in. She also felt disoriented from the heat, in addition to her eyesight being dulled by the bright sun above them. After what seemed like days of walking, but had really only been hours, Tylina began to see something in the distance. At first, she thought it to be a mirage, a trick being played on her by her mind that the sun's rays had definitely fried. However, the image didn't go away, and soon, Tylina realized it to be the edge of a forest. Thousands of thoughts ran through her mind as she began to make out the brown bark of the scolded trees. As they walked on, the trees became lively with green moss and leaves. Grass developed under her feet and the sand slowly faded away, which made her heart pound wildly in her chest. Not too much longer passed before she stopped. Without hesitation, she spun in a circle, taking in the sight of the dense forest around her. She fell to her knees and closed her eyes as she breathed in the scent of nature. The grass, the wind, the flowers, everything smelled so wonderful. Over the years, she had forgotten how much she loved the green life that now flourished around her. Something brushed her shoulder, bringing her from her thoughts. She glanced up and saw Gaara standing at her side, his hand lightly resting upon her. She felt a presence on her other side as well, and looked to her left to see Yukio crouching at her side, a smile on his face.

"Oh my," He whispered, peering over at Tylina and running his fingers through his hair. "It's been so long." And with that he belly flopped onto the grass, laughing loudly before rolling around like a five year old. Tylina giggled as she reached up and placed her hand on top of Gaara's.

"Thank you for bringing me," She muttered, still watching the icy haired boy as he jumped into a nearby tree and plucked a leaf from one of its branches. He ran his fingers over it repeatedly, as if making sure it was real.

"No, Tylina, thank you for watching over me," He squeezed her shoulder lightly. She looked up at him, mouth hanging open slightly. He chuckled at her expression before removing his hand from her shoulder and extending it to help her up. When she was on her feet, she glanced around once more, taking in everything around her. Then, she locked eyes with Gaara, a smirk on her face. Unexpecedly, she reached out and ruffled is hair, earning a growl from his lips.

"I hate it when you do that," He voiced.

"Yeah, I know," Her thoughts raged as she walked over to a nearby tree and placed her hand on the rough bark, feeling, loving the texture.

"You'll love this," Came Yukio's voice from next to her. She glanced to her right to find his eyes level with hers, however, he hung upside down, his feet planted firmly on the bottom of a branch that wasn't very high up. He extended his arm to her, shoving the leaf into her face. She stared at it before taking it into her hands and examining it, holding the object as if were extremely fragile. She ran her fingers over it, feelings it. She pressed it to her nose, smelling it.

"It's beautiful," She spoke lightly, smiling wide as she stared up at the trees that extended high above.

'Evergreen,' She mused, still not able to process the moment. 'The color of a thriving forest, something that grows and lives on forever. Life. Yes, evergreen is life.'


	7. Chapter Seven: Azure

Color Me Emotional *Chapter 7* Azure

*((Revised!))*

By: Kitty Amani

The first couple of days went by quickly. In fact, Tylina did not feel like they had been in the forest for very long before Shikamaru informed them that they would be at his village in a few hours. She found herself slightly disappointed in the news. This was because Tylina felt she was getting some decent training during the travel. Controlling her chakra as a way to jump from branch to branch was a skill that came easily to Tylina. She made sure to scan the area with all her senses, wanting to be ready in case of an attack. The thick, tall trees of all kinds made it difficult to see, and the pines made it especially hard to detect other smells. The young girl was on edge, shaking slightly from both nervousness and excitement. The formation of the group was Temari in the lead, followed by Gaara with Tylina and Yukio on either side. Lastly, Shikamaru brought up the rear. Tylina found herself stealing glances at her companions, analyzing their facial expressions and movements to see if they had sensed anything. Everything so far seemed pretty calm and quiet, but wasn't that what they thought last time they were in a place like this, right before Masura-sensei had been attacked and killed?

"Are you okay, Ty?" Gaara's voice, full of concern, entered her ear. She plastered on a fake smile as she glanced over, locking eyes with him.

"Of course, Lord Kazekage," She promised, nodding her head and holding up one of her hands in a sort of 'forget about it' gesture. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Now I know something is wrong with you," He told her, cracking a small smile. "You never call me that, not even around the village elders." He glanced forward again, his smile fading as fast as it had come. "I've noticed that you tend to use my title when you do not wish to directly answer me." Tylina continued to stare at him, before sighing and biting hard on her bottom lip.

"I'm fine, Gaara, I promise," She mumbled lightly, moving her gaze forward again, suddenly becoming interested in Temari's movements as she soared through the trees. "I'm just not used to the large, open space yet." Gaara nodded and then there was silence again. Temari, who had obviously been listening to their conversation, glanced back when the two stopped speaking and let out a low chuckle.

"You guys are going to love it here," Temari called back to Tylina and Yukio, who stole a quick glance at each other. "And there are definitely some people we would like you to meet!"

"Exactly how far are we?" Yukio questioned with a weird tone in his voice, revealing he was feeling the same emotions as his teammate. Also, just as Tylina, he had lost track of time due to obsessive observation of his surroundings.

"Not too far," It was Shikamaru that answered, sounding as if he'd rather be anywhere but there. "This traveling back and forth is such a pain. It's going to be nice to rest for a while."

"Did you hear that Temari?" Yukio teased with a smirk. "Your body guard is tired. Maybe you should hire a new one for a while." Temari glared daggers at him over her shoulder, making him howl with laughter and Tylina could have sworn she heard a small chuckle escape through Gaara's lips. Tylina looked back at Shikamaru, smiling at the confused and slightly frustrated look on his face.

The rest of the journey wasn't as entertaining. In fact, the conversations that occurred were brief and lacked anything truly interesting. Gaara stayed almost completely silent, as always, keeping his thoughts and emotions to himself. Tylina eventually withdrew herself from the pathetic ramblings and allowed her mind to soar. They were almost there, almost to Konohagakure, and the young girl was now to a point where she was having trouble deciphering how she felt. She couldn't tell if she was more excited or nervous, or more happy or scared. They all rushed over her in waves, almost too quick to fully comprehend. She scolded herself for being too emotional and was slowly shaking herself from her thoughts when it happened. The trees suddenly disappeared and bright, mid-morning sunlight dominated over her vision. She squinted, following Temari's form as she fell toward the ground, landing gracefully on her feet. The other four did the same behind her.

"Wow, constant darkness takes a toll on a person after a while," Yukio rubbed his eyes, keeping his head down. Tylina nodded in agreement, even though he couldn't see her, before glancing up. Her eyes widened quickly at the sight of a giant gate that stood before her. It was obviously just a small opening in the giant wall the extended itself around the village. The gate stood open, but it was apparent that when closed, there was a giant leaf symbol painted over the two, like the one on Shikamaru's ninja headband.

"Heh, Bitchin'," She heard Yukio mutter, bringing a smile to her face. She filled in the gap between her and Gaara, surprising him by locking both of her arms around his right one and squeezing it into a tight hug.

"Oh, I'm excited," She squealed, earning an amused look from the red head. Temari smiled back at Tylina, giving her a wink before started forward and through the main gate. Yukio's snickers filled the air as Shikamaru rushed up to the blonde's side, shoving his hands into his pockets and falling in stride beside her.

"I don't think I've ever seen him move so fast," Yukio came over and elbowed Gaara gently before the three of them followed. Tylina continued to cling to Gaara in an attempt to ease her nervousness.

"Welcome back Shikamaru, Temari!" The guards just inside the gate nodded at the two in front of the group. They responded by smiling brightly and holding up their hands in greeting. The two men then glanced at the ninja following them, and their smiles faded when their eyes landed on Gaara. That's when they started, the whispers, ones that Tylina herself was familiar with. The ones that she had heard thrown in her friends direction too many times before. Yukio shoved his hands in his pockets in frustration, hearing the low spoken words as well. He adjusted his stride so that Gaara would be blocked from view until they were out of the guard's sight. Tylina hand snaked down to Gaara's and she entwined her fingers with his.

"I thought you said they were accepting here," Tylina whispered into his ear, glaring back at the guardian shinobi who were now staring after them. Yukio turned around and childishly stuck his tongue out at them.

"There will always be haters, Ty," Yukio took the initiative to answer when Gaara remained silent. "Not everyone likes everyone." Tylina shook her head, thinking that, so far, the leaf village hadn't made too great of an impression on her. Slowly, the streets began to become more crowded and many shops began to appear along both sides of the crowd. Tylina stared in amazement because it was so different from Suna. Everything here was colorful, full of life. There were tiny cafes and fancy looking restaurants, flower shops and bakeries, stores with odds and ends, all painted in bright colors, or having brightly colored hangings falling over their entrances. Tylina's eyes then moved to the people, who reflected the same mood as the town itself. Children ran around, chasing each other and laughing loudly. Their parents watched while conversing with each other, bright smiles on their faces. Teenagers, both ninjas and civilians, were gathered around a poster advertising a concert that would be in a nearby village in a few weeks.

"I think it's a little too happy here for me," Tylina finally stated her thoughts out loud, observing a couple who were enjoying their early lunch at one of the many diners along the crowd.

"It's not as peaceful here as it may seem," Gaara informed her, also glancing around.

"I'm guessing that is where we are going," Yukio pointed to a building not too far ahead of them that rose high above the others and contained a fire symbol on the front. Gaara nodded as Tylina gently placed her chin on his shoulder.

"Hey, Shika," Tylina called up to the leaf shinobi that was a few feet in front of her. "Is Lady Hokage nice?" Shikamaru seemed to hesitate in his response, causing a worried look to cross the sand kunoichi's face.

"Just be respectful," Was his answer.

"Shika," Temari nudged him before glancing over her shoulder and smiling brightly. "Lady Hokage is a very beautiful, strong, and independent woman. I think you will really like her, Ty!" Tylina nodded slowly as they entered the building and began to climb the many flights of stairs.

"Hey, Ty," Gaara's voice entered her ear. "I think you're cutting off the circulation in my arm." Tylina blinked at him a few times before glancing down and noticing the tight grip that she held on his arm and hand, almost digging her nails through his crimson attire and into his flesh. She quickly detached herself from him, laughing nervously.

"Sorry, Gaara," She knew her face was bright red, so she hung her head low, allowing her hair to cascade in front of it. She heard him chuckle at her before placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Chill a little, Tylina," He addressed her by her full name. "It will be okay." The stairs came to an end soon after that. Temari and Shikamaru stopped in front of a large door, to which Temari raised her fist and knocked loudly.

"Enter," Came a woman's voice. Temari gave Tylina a wink as Shikamaru pushed opened the door and entered. Tylina held her breath and glanced over at Yukio as Temari and Gaara followed the leaf ninja. Yukio flashed a bright smile and ran his fingers through his hair before he followed as well. This left Tylina to, slowly, bring up the rear.

When she laid her eyes upon the woman behind the giant oak desk, her mouth dropped open slightly. A beautiful blonde lady set there wearing a confident smirk. Her skin was flawless and she seemed to gleam in the sun that flowed through the windows that semi-circled the office. She wore a low cut top, revealing her obviously large breasts, with her Hokage robe pulled over her shoulders, in an attempt to look somewhat formal. Tylina, however, got the feeling that she was not too fond of the work that she had to do as Hokage. Suddenly, all of Tylina's nervousness evaporated as she cast an honest smile at the leader of the leaf, appreciating the bold and self-satisfied air that she gave off.

"Welcome back, you two," She nodded at Shikamaru and Temari. "Lord Kazekage," She nodded at Gaara as well before her eyes landed on the two who stood the furthest back. Surprising everyone, including herself, Tylina took two giant steps forward and bowed.

"My name is Tylina, my lady," She then straightened up with a prideful smile, earning a satisfied nod from the beautiful woman. She then glanced back at the remaining ninja who she didn't know. "And you would be?"

"You can call me Yukio, my lady," He stepped beside Tylina and bowed respectfully as well.

"These two have been friends with the Kazekage, Temari, and Kankuro since they were kids," Shikamaru informed the Hokage, giving her a little background information. "There is one other, but she remained behind to help watch over Suna. The three of them are highly skilled ninja and have taken the job as the Kazekage's personal body guards."

"I see," She voiced, studying the two of them closely. "Tell me a little about what you can do."

"Yes, my lady," Tylina acknowledged. "Ninjutsu is my best defense, and I have three different types of chakra natures, fire being my best. My wind and lightening chakra natures are much weaker and I find that I do not fight as long when using the two of them, so I stick to fire if at all possible. My taijutsu would be next great defense, being almost as good as my ninjutsu, for I have great speed and accuracy. My ginjutsu I'd say is my worst defense, and I don't use it very often, that way I do not waste my chakra. Also, in a way, you could say that I am the level headed one of the team. I analyze the situation and play the outcomes over in my head, and I usually come up with the plans of attack."

"For me, my lady," Yukio addressed her with a smile. "Taijutsu is my best defense, and when Tylina and I use our taijutsu together, we are almost unstoppable. I'm in very good shape, making me quick and strong. Ninjutsu is my second greatest defense, although it is definitely not my strong suit. I have the main chakra nature of water, and my secondary, which is almost as strong as my first, would be lightening. I'm very poor at my third though, which would be earth. Lastly, I have no ability to do genjutsu whatsoever, for my sensei felt if I attempted, it would just show me down. She told me I needed to focus on my speed and accuracy."

"The one who remained in Suna," Temari acted as our third member. "Her name is Sunshine, and she is best in genjutsu, almost relying completely on it, which reveals how good the three of them could be when they work together. Her ninjutsu is her second best suit, having the chakra natures of lightening, being her strongest, earth being her second strongest, and her weakest being water. Her taijutsu isn't very good and when you get to know her you will see why." Tylina chuckled to herself, knowing that Temari was referring to the fact that Sunshine hated to sweat and didn't want to 'break a nail.' The Hokage nodded as she easily took in all the information that was just recited to her and smiled.

"Impressive shinobi you have watching over you, Lord Kazekage," She said to Gaara, who nodded in agreement. "Well, now that I know who you are, I would like to welcome you to Konoha. I know you guys have had a long trip, so I'll go ahead and dismiss you to get some rest. We will meet again the day after tomorrow to discuss some things, but until then," She smiled sweetly at Gaara. "Go see your friends." At that moment, Tylina gained a respect for the Hokage that she would never be able to describe to anyone. As the others went to leave, Tylina hung behind and approached the Hokage's desk.

"Um, thank you, my lady," Tylina bowed. When she straightened up, the woman in front of her had a confused look on her face.

"May I ask what for?" She blinked a few times and Tylina felt her face get a little warm.

"For being so nice to Gaara," She basically whispered. The Hokage's face softened and she smiled gently at the girl.

"No need to thank me for that," She climbed to her feet and walked to the large window that stood behind her and stared down at the village. "Run along now, and go meet some of the kids your age. I think you'll like what you see." Tylina hesitated before bowing one last time and turning to leave.

"What was that about?" Yukio asked as Tylina pulled the door the the Hokage's office shut behind her. Glancing up, she noticed that all four of her friends had stopped to wait on her.

"Oh, it was nothing," She assured them with a wave of her hand. "So, um, what are we going to do now?"

"I'm tired," Yukio complained, stretching his arms high above his head. "I'd like to take a nap."

"Gaara, why don't you and Yukio go check into the hotel for us," Temari offered, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a change purse, which she handed to the Kazekage. He nodded in agreement.

"We could stop at a store as well," Yukio suggested, looking at Gaara. "You know, pick up some food and anything else we might need."

"That's a good idea," Gaara said as he started for the stairs, but he stopped suddenly and glanced over his shoulder when he heard Tylina go to follow him. "Ty, I'd like you to go with Shikamaru and Temari." Tylina blinked a few times.

"But..." She attempted to protest. Gaara just shook his head and held his hand up, as if telling her to not say anything else. With that, he turned and began to descend the stairs. Yukio looked at Tylina, who pouted her lips and gave him a pleading look. He just gave her a reassuring smile before taking off after the Kazekage.

"Well, let's go," Shikamaru stated as he and Temari headed for the stairs. Tylina hesitated before following, wondering where exactly it was that they were going. She guessed it would be better than the shopping and laying around that Yukio and Gaara would be doing. She walked behind her two companions silently, listening to their mumbled conversations and Temari's random quiet giggles. Tylina smiled slightly to herself as she thought about how the two of them were absolutely made for each other. She then began to wonder when they would actually admit to the other how they felt. How could people as smart as they are not see something so obvious?

"Shikamaru!" A high pitched voice brought Tylina from her thoughts. Glancing around Temari, she saw a young blonde kunoichi running towards them, waving her hand above her hand furiously. She wore a purple midriff and short purple skirt, with her long hair pulled into a ponytail and her bangs cascading down over one of her eyes.

"Ah, Ino," Shikamaru smiled. "Just the person I was looking for."

"Huh, you were looking for me?" She came to a stop in front of him, a questioning look on her face, but she quickly recovered and flashed Temari a brilliant smile. "Hey, Temari."

"We were wondering if you'd like to make a new friend." Temari pointed over her shoulder to Tylina, who immediately felt her face grow hot. She knew that she was blushing. Ino peered at her before letting out a high pitched squeal.

"Oh, yeah, you know I'd love too!" She quickly pushed between them so that she was in front of Tylina and extended her hand in greeting. "I'm Ino Yamanaka!" Tylina laughed nervously as she shook the girl's hand.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Tylina." She informed Ino, who nodded quickly. Tylina cast a sideways glance at Temari, who winked in an attempt in ease her on. Tylina then knew that this had been previously set up without her knowledge. Temari, Shikamaru, Yukio, Gaara. They had all had a secret meeting about her having a fear of meeting new people, so now she was standing in front of an obviously hyperactive girly girl. She assumed that Ino probably enjoyed things like shopping, make up, and getting her nails done, which Tylina had no interest in whatsoever. As she continued to ponder how she felt about the situation, Temari took the initiative of pushing the pre-planned relationship further.

"Tylina's never been here before," She informed Ino with a smile. "Maybe you would like to show her around." Tylina felt her face fall. Now Temari was going to send her off with a total stranger? Exactly what was wrong with her friends?

"Oh yes!" Ino immediately agreed, reaching forward and taking Tylina's hands into hers. "We're going to have so much fun!"

"Eh, great!" Tylina tried to force excitement into her voice. She believed she was unsuccessful, but Ino didn't show any sign of disappointment. The blonde then began to pull her away from Temari and Shikamaru. She started going on about how she knew the perfect place to get the best clothes in the village and how she knew exactly how to do the sand ninja's hair to make her look absolutely stunning.

"Have fun!" Temari called after them, making a string of curse words trail though Tylina's brain.

Surprisingly, Tylina's morning with Ino wasn't as bad as she thought it was going to be. She ended up having a lot of fun. Spending time with Ino, Tylina learned that she was a sort of carefree spirit and slightly egotistic, loving to swoon and coo over her own reflection. She was extremely nice to Tylina, asking about her likes and dislikes, her past boyfriends and relationships, which allowed them to quickly get to know each other. Ino told her the story of Sasuke Uchiha, and how he was the love of her life. Tylina doubted this considering the blonde had been barely twelve when she was head over heels for the dude. The way she described him it also seemed that he was adored by every other young girl her age in the village, making him more of a lust object then a crush. By the time the two stopped for a lunch break, the sun was high in the bright blue sky. Ino seemed really nice, even though Tylina was almost a hundred percent sure the girl had a mean streak. She couldn't explain the feeling, Ino just kind of gave off that sort of air.

The blonde was able to make Tylina laugh as she told her stories from about a year ago, when she made ventures with her team. It was made up of her, Shikamaru, a boy named Choji, and their sensei, Azuma. Tylina smiled and nodded, listening to every word. She loved hearing about the missions the girl used to have and the amazing team work they had. It was almost like a book to her, one she didn't want to put down. The stories also made her recall memories about her team. She missed those days. If anything, Tylina wished she could rewind time. She wished to be carefree again, to be happy again, and to see her sensei again. As Ino continued on, Tylina's eyes drifted back to the sky.

'Azure,' Her thoughts danced around the clouds that floated high above her. 'Such a bright, happy color. Joyful, like this village, like Ino. If all of the sibling's friends here is this nice, and this enthusiastic about life, then maybe it wouldn't be so hard to make them my friends too. But, I can't help but wonder; would these people stick around and still want to be my friends, even if they knew my horrible past, and how I am cursed? Probably not. In this village, it's like I'm starting over new. Maybe the brightness of the sky and the villagers could change my outlook on life, just like Gaara. Yes, Azure is such a mood lifting color.'


	8. Chapter Eight: Magenta

Color Me Emotional *Chapter 8* Magenta

*((Revised!))*

By: Kitty Amani

It was about midafternoon when Ino informed Tylina that she was going to have to head home to help her family close up their small flower shop. Tylina was surprised when she found herself getting upset over the girl's departure, for she had only known her for less than a day.

"So do you think that you can find your hotel from here?" Ino asked after giving Tylina directions to the place where Temari usually stayed when she came into town. Tylina noded.

"I'm sure I can," She informed Ino, winking. "I'm good with directions." Tylina gave the blonde a sad smile as she said her goodbyes. In response Ino mirrored her smile before throwing her arms around the young sand kunoichi's neck and hugging her tightly.

"Thank you so much for today, Tylina," Ino whispered in her ear. "I really enjoyed it." Tylina hesitated, unsure of what to say or what to do, but she forced herself to move, hugging Ino back gently.

"No, thank you, Ino," She mumbled, trying to hide the pain in her voice. Ino, however, caught the tone and pulled back to examine Tylina. She immediately noticed the loneliness that was contained in her eyes.

"Is something wrong?" She questioned sincerely, looking as if she was trying to read her new friend's mind. Tylina glanced to her right and bit her lip, trying to decide how much she should tell the girl. Something brushed against her forearm and, glancing back forward, she saw Ino let her hand gently rest on Tylina in a comforting manner. "You know that you can tell me." Tylina hesitated once more before once again flashing Ino that sad smile.

"I just..." She paused, searching for her words. "...don't have many friends. Having fun like I did with you today, that's definitely something rare for me." Ino stared at her, contemplating what she had just been told, then she smiled brightly.

"Well, I had fun too," She removed her hand from Tylina and winked at her. "And I would love to hang out again sometime this week." Tylina's face brightened and her eyes shone in both happiness and surprise.

"I would love that," She smiled cheerfully. Ino nodded before turning toward the colorfully painted building behind her that bore a sign reading 'Yamanaka Flower Shop'. She waved at Tylina as she came upon the entrance and Tylina threw her hand up in the air to return the gesture. A feeling of utter sadness flowed through her as the girl disappeared from view. Tylina to sigh loudly as she started in the direction of the building she was going to be residing in for the next couple of weeks.

As Tylina traveled down the now less crowded streets of Konoha, she found her thoughts whirl-pooling in her head. She was surprised at herself for taking such an immediate liking to the girl she had just parted ways with; however, she was happy that she had. Ino had made it seem like making friends was so easy. Tylina smiled to herself and thought about how she would have to thank her other four companions for setting up the date. They had all known or sensed her nervousness of meeting new people. She came to the decision that she would be taking the main mastermind of the plan, who she assumed was Gaara, out to dinner, on her.

Her thoughts slowly mellowed out as she glanced up at the nearby mountainside and observed the faces of what she assumed were the faces of the village leaders, for Lady Hokage's face was carved as well. The memorial to the five great kages of the leaf looked stunning against the sky that was slowly beginning to alter its color from blue to light pink and orange as it neared the beginning of sunset. Without warning, the scene before her brought on the memory of the chunin exams. Kankuro had informed Tylina, after she confronted him for taking part in such a horrifying act, that the third Hokage had been killed in the battle, just as their father had. Tylina cringed as her stomach churned. Maybe if she hadn't been so stupid as to not see what was going on, maybe if she had caught on to the plan to attack Konoha sooner, not only could she have saved Gaara from being used as a pawn in their plans, but also prevented the deaths of the two kings. Tylina couldn't help but laugh inwardly at herself for thinking she could have had such an influence over a huge situation such as that. What a hyperactive imagination she had!

"Kiba, watch out!"

The voice sounded in Tylina's ears and she moved her gaze down to the road in front of her but not soon enough. All she caught was a glimpse of muddy river brown hair before the wind was knocked out of her and she fell onto her backside. Pain erupted through her entire body and she moaned softly. She gently rubbed the source of the pain, as if it would actually make the sensation subside. Through squinted eyes she glanced up to see a boy about her age wearing gray attire, the shirt cut low revealing the fishnet that he wore underneath, and tied around his forehead was a ninja headband baring the leaf symbol. His eyes were closed and he growled loudly, baring his teeth which were unusually sharp. His cry seemed more in irritation then pain. His eyes slowly opened and, when his gaze landed upon her, he laughed nervously.

"I'm so sorry about that," He apologized, scratching the back of his head. "Are you okay?" Appalled, Tylina could only nod in response. She couldn't help but think that if this incident had occurred in Suna, the other party would have raised hell. But this guy was the one saying sorry to her. A loud bark boomed through the air, making Tylina jump. She watched as a huge white and brown dog appeared at the boy's side, nuzzling his nose against his cheek. The leaf ninja laughed as he patted the dog's head. "Yeah, I'm fine, boy."

"Kiba, you're so reckless," The speaker who had called out before stepped up beside the boy, a scolding look on her face. She had bright pink hair and wore a pink outfit, her clenched fists cladded in brown gloves. Behind her, Tylina noticed another girl standing kind of awkwardly. She had long, dark blue hair that cascaded in front of her face that she seemed to want to keep hidden. Tylina's eyes were drawn back to the one called Kiba as he shrugged, climbing to his feet and dusting himself off. He then closed the gap between himself and Tylina. When he stood right in front of her, he extended his hand in an offer to help her up.

"Again, I'm really sorry," He repeated his words. Tylina's eyes locked with his for a moment. She attempted to read him, tried to understand what he was thinking. He seemed sincere, she thought to herself. So she cautiously slid her hand into his and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

"It was my fault," She stated quietly, straightening out her dark blue, fishnet covered skirt with her black, lacey gloved hands. "I should have been watching where I was going."

"Don't blame yourself," He smiled at her as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I was the one racing down the street, not even thinking that I might run into someone." He paused and sort of looked her over. "I'm Kiba Inuzuka, by the way."

"I'm Tylina," She smiled nervously at him and began to twist a piece of her hair between her fingers. "It's nice to meet you."

"I see that you're from the sand village," Kiba nodded at the headband that she had tied around her waist. "I was wondering why I had never seen you before. What brings you here?"

"Oh, you must be one of Gaara's escorts," The pink haired girl stepped forward. "Lady Hokage told me you guys would be coming. I'm Sakura Haruno." She bowed her head slightly in a respectful manner, which Tylina immediately returned with a small smile.

"And this timid beauty behind me is Hinata Hyuga," Kiba stepped aside so that Hinata could glide forward. She lifted her head, revealing her face which contained childlike features and a small blush. She smiled.

"Hello," She greeted. "W-welcome to Konoha."

"Thank you, Hinata," Tylina smiled gently. She felt very comfortable at that moment and she liked the feeling. These three were being so nice to her, and she had just met them. So was making friends here just as easy as Ino had made it seem?

"So, how's Gaara doing?" Sakura asked, eyes sparking brightly. Tylina stared at her, blinking a couple of times.

"H-he's very well, thank you for asking." Her mind whirled again, for she was confused. This girl not only knew Gaara, but was concerned for him? Suddenly, Tylina felt the impulse to tackle this Sakura girl into a giant hug.

"That's good," She nodded, placing her hands on her hips. "You know we haven't seen much of him since the day Naruto left."

"Naruto?" Tylina's eyes must have lit up at the sound of the infamous leaf genin's name, for Sakura giggled lightly.

"So you've heard of him?" She questioned.

"Only all the time," She nodded. "Gaara thinks very highly of him."

"You know," Kiba muttered, staring off to his left at nothing in particular. "I miss that knucklehead. It's so quiet without him, and not to mention boring." Then there was silence as the three in front of Tylina recalled memories of their friend. Kiba looked somewhat frustrated, Sakura's eyes seemed sad, and Hinata's facial expression reminded Tylina of a lost little girl. She also noticed how the Hinata's blush had become darker. Tylina smiled at them even though she knew they wouldn't notice. She was beginning to believe what Gaara had told her about the people here being more accepting. These three obviously knew Gaara, were maybe even some the friends he was referring to, and they all seemed inspired by this Naruto Uzumaki. Two young ninja, inhabited by demons, but these teens didn't care. They didn't see a monster when looking at them, only friends. Tylina had never been more joyous and proud, and she found herself beginning to feel at home.

"Sakura," Hinata's tiny voice floated on the wind after a few minutes had passed. "Shouldn't we be-" But before she could finish, Sakura's face lit up and she nodded.

"Right, it's getting late." She waved at Tylina as she walked passed her. "Sorry to go so quick, but hopefully I'll see you again soon." Hinata quickly followed after Sakura's retreating form, bowing her head as she drifted by Tylina. Tylina quickly noticed that Kiba didn't follow. She turned to face him, only to find his eyes locked on her. For some reason, she felt her face grow hot and she knew she was blushing.

"Are you not going with them?" She asked, hoping Kiba didn't notice her now magenta cheeks. He shook his head.

"Naw, I was only walking with them," He informed her with a smirk pasted on his face. "They were going to meet a friend."

"Oh, well, that's cool." She muttered, suddenly becoming interested in her black boots, which she dug the toe of into the ground nervously. She cried out in surprise when something wet brushed against her hand. Looking down, her eyes landed on the huge dog that she assumed belonged to Kiba. Tylina smiled gently and bent down so she could scratch the dog behind the ears.

"This is Akamaru," Kiba informed her as he squatted at her side and stroked the beast's back. "He's my best friend." Tylina smiled and nodded.

"Good choice," She complimented, glancing over at him. "Animals are way more dependable and caring than humans."

"I couldn't agree more," He muttered under his breath. "Dogs are the most complex and simplest creatures you can find. Akamaru is a loyal, trustworthy companion." As Kiba stared at Akamaru, pride and admiration danced across his features. For some reason, this made Tylina's cheeks rise in temperature once again. She quickly climbed to her feet and turned her back to the two, trying to hide the blush.

"It must be nice to have a relationship like that," Her voice came out soft as she began to fiddle with the hem of her skirt in an act of nervousness.

"Only the best," Kiba whispered right next to her ear. Tylina squealed and quickly faced him. She had not sensed his presence right over her shoulder. Kiba smirked yet again and laughed loudly at her reaction, making her cheeks to turn a deeper shade of pink. She quickly walked around him and started in the direction she had been going before the two of them had collided.

"Well, I better be getting back," She stated, pointing in the direction she was moving. "My friends are probably worried about me. I've been gone all day without even checking up or anything." Kiba stared after her as she slowly inched away from him.

"May I walk you?" He called up to her only moments later. Tylina immediately ceased her movement and glanced over her shoulder, unable to speak. Maybe it was because she wasn't used to guys, except Kankuro, really noticing her. Thinking that she hadn't heard him, Kiba jogged up to her side, Akamaru following. "Do you mind if I walk you to your hotel? A beautiful, young girl such as yourself shouldn't be wondering around in a place she doesn't know very well this close to dark." Tylina still had trouble finding her voice, which she thought probably made her look like an idiot.

"Um, s-sure," Tylina choked out when she finally found her voice. Kiba smiled brightly and nodded before the two started walking the last few blocks to their destination.

Tylina found the short trip to be quite interesting. Kiba was really funny, making her laugh at his stories or jokes with ease, and he was nice to her, asking her about her opinion on things and complimenting her constantly. If she hadn't known any better, Tylina would say he was borderline flirting with her, which she surprisingly didn't mind. If anything, it made her happier that she could catch a man's attention for that long. As they walked, Akamaru ran around them, chasing butterflies, barking happily, just enjoying being a dog. Tylina giggled frequently at the animal.

"He's adorable," Tylina glanced over at Kiba.

"He gets it from me," Kiba gave her a charming, seductive smile in addition to a wink. Tylina quickly looked down as she once again began to play with the hem of her skirt nervously. She didn't exactly know how to reply to the statement. Kiba, however, didn't seem offended by her silence. In fact, he quickly started up a new conversation about him and Akamaru always go into battle together. She found what he called 'beast mimicry' to be quite interesting.

In Tylina's opinion, the hotel came into view way too soon, almost causing a depressed feeling to wash over her again, but she forced it away. Kiba rambled on, right up until they reached the entrance of the building. She smiled brightly up at him, attempting to mask her sadness. There was silence for a few seconds before Kiba cleared his throat and spoke again.

"Tylina, I really like talking to you," He admitted with a smirk, something that she noticed he wore a majority of the time. "And, if you don't mind, I'd like to see you again," He hesitated, before chuckling. "For a longer period of time." Tylina stared deep into his eyes. Was he implying that he was interested? She had no idea how to tell these things, for Kankuro was the only guy who paid much attention to her. An image of Sunshine flashed into her mind. Tylina recalled all the times that she had seen her friend make passes at other woman, in hopes of getting their attention, which she almost always succeeded in. Tylina decided that maybe she should use one of her teammate's strategies.

"I like talking to you, too, Kiba," She flipped her hair over her shoulder in a flirtatious manner. "But I'm not too sure how I feel about seeing you again." Kiba looked taken aback, but, as if he suddenly noticed what she was doing, he chuckled and leaned toward her.

"I think you can't wait to see me again," He bluntly stated, before turning on his heel and starting down the road. Akamaru nuzzled up against Tylina's side, earning a light pat on the head from her, before he took off after Kiba. Tylina's heart dropped as she watched him walk away. They hadn't made any plans to meet or anything. Maybe he had just been messing with her? She bit her bottom lip, upset at herself for falling for such a stupid trick.

"Hey," Kiba's voice rang through the air. Tylina glanced up to see him waving at her. "Meet me where we ran into each other, tomorrow, at noon." And with that he disappeared around the corner. Tylina blinked after him before her cheeks turned bright red and she smiled to herself. She slowly drifted into the building, stopping at the front desk to ask where she could find her friends. She then headed upstairs. That day had been so good, so perfect, and she wished to relive it over and over again. She stepped up to the door of the room that the hotel manager had directed her to and before she could even raise her fist to knock the door swung open and Yukio jumped out, practically tackling her to the ground.

"How was your day, gorgeous?" He questioned, swooping her into a tight hug. She giggled.

"Absolutely amazing," She informed him, hugging back. Behind Yukio stood Gaara, who smiled lightly at her and nodded. She broke away from Yukio, giving his shoulder a squeeze before stepping up to Gaara.

"Thank you," She bowed to him. "Lord Kazekage." When she stood back straight, she leaned forward and brushed her lips to his cheek and hugged him close.

"I like seeing you smile like that," He told her. "It's nice." When she pulled back, Yukio's arm slid around her waist and she followed the two into the room, where she shared her stories of her time with Ino and how she had ran into Sakura, Hinata, and Kiba. Her face must have colored again at the mention of Kiba's name because Yukio snickered and nudged Gaara. She smiled and lightly pressed her fingertips to her cheek.

'Magenta,' She glanced to her left and got lost deep in thought. 'Is a mixture of nervousness and happiness in one. A blush can mean so many things. What did this one mean?'


End file.
